Ax



Patented Sept. 8, 1936 ATENT @i 'Fi Howard A. Vaughan, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. (30., Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application April 1, 1935, Serial No. 14,018

1 Claim.

The invention pertains to axes and one object thereof is to provide an ax which is an improvement upon, and is more sturdy and durable than,

previously designed axes by reason of the fact that the eye of the head embodies at the inner end thereof a pair of integral, coextensivefoppositely facing wings which are curved inwardly at the ends thereof conformably to the sides of the eye, and form comparatively large, curved, bearing surfaces whereby the sides of the handle are gripped at a point immediately behind the eye and are so reinforced that there is no likelihood of the handle breaking at such point when the ax is used as a pry or the handle of the ax is swung or moved in a direction at right angles to the blade or blades of the head.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ax of the type and character under consideration in which the oppositely facing wings extend from one end of the eye to the other and are curved inwardly at their ends in such a manner that they grip yieldingly the relatively thin top and bottom portions of the handle at a point directly behind the eye of the head and compress the wood to such an extent and in such manner that the handle is not likely to break immediately behind the eye when the head of the ax is brought into contact with an object during use of the ax for cutting purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ax which is generally of new and improved construction and in which the oppositely facing wings at the inner end of the eye of the head are substantially uniform in width from top to bottom and are thicker at the end portions thereof than in the center so that they are not likely to break, and serve efficiently to grip and compress to the proper extent the contiguous portions of the ax handle.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present ax construction will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side view of a double-bitted ax embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing in detail the shape and construction of the oppositely facing wings and the manner in which the inwardly curved end portions of the wings operate yieldingly to grip the top and bottom portions of the handle that are disposed immediately behind the 5" eye of the ax head;

Figure 3 is view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section showing the manner in which the handle is secured within the eye of the head;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-4 of Figure 1 and exhibiting the manner in which the oppositely facing wings form enlarged bearing surfaces whereby the side portions of the handle that are immediately behind the eye are gripped and reinforced so that the handle is not likely to break adjacent to the head when the ax is used as a pry; and

Figure 5 is transverse section of the head without the handle. 1

The invention is exemplified in connection with an ax of the double-bitted variety. As shown in the drawing the ax consists of a head 6 and a handle I and is more or less of conventional design or shape. The head 3 is formed of metal such as steel and consists of an eye 8 and a pair of blades 9. The eye 8 forms a socket for the outer end of the handle 71', and as shown in Figure 2 consists of a pair of sides which are curved inwardly and join one another at the upper and lower portions thereof. The blades 9 are formed integrally with the eye and have curved bits or edges It] for cutting purposes. The handle 1 is formed of wood as well understood in the art and has at one end thereof a haft (not shown). The other or inner end of the handle embodies an enlarged part i I which is shaped conformably to the socket in the eye and is driven into the latter so that the extreme outer end thereof is flush with the outer end of the eye. A wedge 12, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is driven into the extreme outer end of the enlarged part ll of the handle and serves toexpand this part and hold it in, and against displacement relatively to, the eye 8. The parts of the ax so far described are of conventional or standard construction.

In order to reinforce the handle of the ax at a point directly behind the inner end of the eye 8 and thus prevent splitting or fracture of the handle at such .point the sides of the eye 8 are provided at the inner ends thereof with a pair of integral wings l3. These wings are coextensive and extend from the upper portion of the eye to the lower portion. They face one another as shown in Figure 2, and are approximately of uniform width from one end to the other. The ends of the wings are curved inwardly conformably to the sides of the eye and as shown in Figure 2, are slightly thicker than the center portions of the wings. The outer faces of the wings are shaped conformably to and form continuations of the outer faces of the sides of the eye. The inner faces of the wings are shaped conformably to, and form continuations of, the inner faces of the sides of the eye and form comparatively large wide bearing surfaces whereby the sides of the enlarged part of the handle immediately behind the point are gripped and so reinforced that there is little if any likelihood of the handle breaking at such point when the ax is used as a pry or the handle 1 of the ax is swung or moved in a direction at right angles to the blades 9. The inwardly curved ends of the wings are spaced slightly apart, as shown in the drawing, and serve after the enlarged part II of the handle is driven into the eye and secured therein by the wedge I2 to grip the top and bottom portions of said enlarged part yieldingly and in such manner that the wood at such portions is compressed to such an extent that the handle is not likely to break immediately behind the eye when the head of the ax is brought into contact with an object during use of the ax for cutting purposes, by reason of the fact that the end portions of the wings are properly reinforced and there is no likelihood of them being spread outwardly or deflected during drive of the enlarged part of the handle into the socket in the eye 8. Preferably the wings are about one-quarter as wide as they are long. The outer corners of the wings are cut away so that they are substantially quadrantal in shape. The side edges of the wings are substantially straight. As shown in the drawing, the inner faces of the sides of the eye 8 of the head are bulged inwardly adjacent the central portion of the head. As a result of this the socket in the eye is flared outwardly toward the outer end of the eye and is flared outwardly toward the inner end of the eye. The enlarged part II of the handle is tapered as hereinbefore set forth, and after being driven into the eye fits snugly in place. The extreme outer end of the enlarged part II after application of the wedge l2 flares outwardly conformably to the flared outer end of the socket and thus serves to lock the handle against removal from the eye of the head. Preferably the inner faces of the Wings [3 are flared outwardly toward the haft of the handle so they conform to and are in the nature of continuations of the portions of the inner surface on the sides of the eye at the inner end of the eye.

The herein described ax is both durable and sturdy in that the wings l3 reinforce the handle so that at a point directly in back of or behind the eye there is no likelihood of the handle breaking or splitting when the head of the ax is used as a pry or the head is swung against an object in cutting.

Whereas the wings I3 have been described in connection with a double-bitted ax, it is to be understood that they can be used equally as well in connection with a single-bitted ax. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

As a new article of manufacture, an ax comprising a head having an eye with inwardly curved, oppositely facing sides defining an elongated socket and also having a blade connected to the eye, a wooden handle with an enlarged end driven into and secured directly in said socket, and a pair of coextensive, oppositely facing wings formed integrally with and extending longitudinally of the inner ends of the sides of the eye and lapping the sides of the enlarged end of the handle, said wings being curved in conformity to the sides of the eye and extending from one end of the eye to the other and being substantiaily the same in width from one end thereof to the other and of sufficient width that they form comparatively long bearing surfaces for reinforcing said enlarged end of the handle and preventing breakage thereof when the ax is used as a pry, and having the ends thereof thicker than the central portions and curved inwardly so that they grip yieldingly the upper and lower portions of said enlarged part and compress the wood of such portions.

HOWARD A. VAUGHAN. 

